Bent’s Opera House restoration honored with state-wide preservation award
Photo courtesy of Preservation League of NYS: The Bent’s Opera House is shown following a major restoration effort in downtown Medina.
Press Release, Preservation League of New York State
MEDINA — Bent’s Opera House has received a 2023 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.
Since 1984, the League’s annual Excellence Awards program has shined a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all our lives better — through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction. This year’s Award winners will be recognized at a public reception at the Century Association in NYC on Monday, December 4. Click here for more information.
“It was an honor to work with Talis Equity on the restoration of Bent’s Opera House,” said Jeff Panza, regional operations manager for LeChase Construction Services. “At LeChase, we take great pride in projects that have a positive impact within their communities, and this historic restoration has given new life to an important cornerstone of Medina’s downtown business district.”
Built over 150 years ago, Bent’s Opera House once hosted speakers like Frederick Douglass and entertainers like Buffalo Bill Cody. After the theater closed, the building served the community in a variety of ways until the 1990s.
Bent’s was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, but by 2010 it was abandoned and in imminent danger of collapsing. Local developers Talis Equity, led by Roger Hunderford, had a vision to give Bent’s new life.
They collaborated with LeChase Construction Services and Kideney Architects to rehabilitate the historic building into a modern destination. Today, the facility includes an upscale, farm-to-table restaurant and bar, a boutique hotel with 10 uniquely themed rooms, and a beautifully restored theater for private and public gatherings.
“The 2023 Excellence Award winners span the state, from Olean to Brooklyn,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “They represent how historic preservation addresses critical issues, from climate action to affordable housing, from spurring economic development to uplifting underrepresented histories. We are honored to recognize the incredible work each Award winner has done for their communities and beyond.”
The rehabilitation of Bent’s Opera House was funded in part through New York State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. The project team included Talis Equity, LeChase Construction Services, and Kideney Architects.
2023 Awardees – Olean’s First National Bank & Siegel’s Shoes Revitalization in Olean, Cattaraugus County; Nash Lofts in Buffalo, Erie County; Claudette Brady in Brooklyn, Kings County; Bridge to Crafts Careers Program in Brooklyn and the Bronx; The Rehabilitation of Pier 57 in New York City; Bent’s Opera House in Medina, Orleans County; Julie Nucci in Owego, Tioga County; Kingston City Land Bank in Kingston, Ulster County.
About the Preservation League of New York State – Since its founding in 1974, the Preservation League has built a reputation for action and effectiveness. Our goal has been to preserve our historic buildings, districts, and landscapes and to build a better New York, one community at a time.
The Preservation League of New York State invests in people and projects that champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth and the protection of our historic buildings and landscapes. We lead advocacy, economic development, and education programs across the state.
